Distinguished Alumni

Since the first graduating class in 1931, Los Angeles City College alumni have distinguished themselves in many fields. These are just a few of the many stars launched from LACC during the last 90 years.

Do you know a distinguished LACC alumnus?

If you would like to nominate someone to be included along with other distinguished alumni, please fill out and submit this online form: Distinguished Alumni Nomination Form

BUSINESS AND FINANCE

Economics

  • Lawrence Klein, Ph.D., economist, Nobel Prize recipient in Economics

Entrepreneurs

  • Gene Bramson, real estate investor
  • John Hope Bryant (AKA John Bryant Smith), founder of Bryant Group Companies
  • John Crean, founder of Fleetwood Enterprises
  • Brian Edwards, founder of ETI
  • Steven Lebowitz, business executive and philanthropist
  • Leonard Roth, investment consultant
  • Harry D. Schultz, investment advisor
  • Steven Markoff, educator and businessman 
  • Richard Pink, attorney, MBA
  • Harvey Englander, Political Consultant 

COMMUNICATIONS

  • Pete Arbogast, radio announcer
  • Murray Fromson, broadcast journalist
  • Herbert G. Klein, newspaper executive
  • Paul Olden, radio announcer
  • Leonard Probst, drama critic
  • Ted Sobel, sports journalist
  • Tony Valdez, broadcast journalist
  • Clifton W. Winston, KJLH 102.3 FM Radio Air Personality
  • Don Sainte-Johnn, radio personality

EDUCATION

  • Florence Avognon, 2012 California Teacher of the Year
  • James Williams, Ph.D., Community College District Chancellor; Community College President
  • Joseph A. Bagnall, educator, author, writer, producer, and documentarian
  • Lowell Bean, Ph.D., Professor of Anthropology and author
  • Edward Diller, educator and author
  • Jack Ericson Eblen, Ph.D., Professor of History and author
  • Maulana (Ron) Karenga, Ph.D., Professor of Black Studies, activist and founder of Kwanzaa
  • Simon Karlinsky, Ph.D., Professor of Slavic languages and literature, author
  • Margaret Martin, Ph.D., Harmony Project Founder and Recipient of President’s Citizens Medal
  • Michael Schreiber, Ph.D., Professor of Biomedical Communications, author and fitness expert
  • Dr. Rosalyn S. Heyman, Educator and Philanthropist 

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

Performance

  • Bob Arbogast, radio broadcaster and voice actor
  • Alan Arkin, actor, Academy Award ® recipient
  • Billy Barty, actor and founder, Little People of America
  • Brenda Benet, actor
  • Barbara Billingsley, actor
  • Tommy “Butch” Bond, actor
  • Sufe Bradshaw, actress
  • Albert Brooks, actor, comedian and director
  • Charles D. Brooks, III, actor, director and playwright
  • Diana Canova, actor
  • Ralph Carter, actor
  • Dean Chekvala, actor
  • James Coburn, actor, Academy Award ® recipient
  • Clint Eastwood, actor; producer, Academy Award ® recipient; director
  • Mike Evans, actor
  • Laurence Fishburne, actor
  • Al Freeman, Jr., actor, Emmy ®
  • Morgan Freeman, actor, Academy Award® recipient;
  • Don Grady, actor
  • Debbie Shapiro Gravitte, actor, Tony Award ® recipient
  • Deidre Hall, actor
  • Mark Hamill, actor
  • Hammond, actor, voice actor
  • Michael Harris, actor
  • Linda Hart, actor
  • Allen “Farina” Hoskins, actor
  • Jackie Joseph, actor
  • Margaret Kerry, actor
  • Sally Kellerman, actor, Academy Award® nominee
  • Shin Koyamada, actor, martial artist
  • Wallace Langham, actor
  • Ruta Lee, actor
  • Tony Maggio, actor
  • Whitman Mayo, actor
  • Angela McEwan, actor
  • James Mitchell, actor and dancer
  • Dickie Moore, actor
  • Wayne Morris, actor, WWII ace
  • Shelley Morrison, actor
  • Stephen Nichols, actor
  • Jeanette Nolan, actor
  • Hugh O’Brian, actor, Golden Globe Award ® recipient
  • Edward Padilla, actor
  • Rosie Perez, actor and choreographer
  • Donna Reed, actor, Academy Award ® recipient
  • Maggie Roswell, actor
  • Alexis Smith, actor, Tony Award ® recipient
  • Louise Sorel, actor
  • Roy Thinnes, actor
  • Irene Tsu, actor
  • Robert Vaughn, actor, Emmy ® Award recipient
  • Stuart Whitman, actor
  • Cindy Williams, actor and producer
  • Esther Williams, actor, Golden Globe Award ® recipient
  • Mykelti Williamson, actor
  • Paul Winfield, actor, Emmy ® Award recipient
  • Jo Anne Worley, actor
  • Aron Kader, comedian
  • Victoria Vetri, actress and model
  • Don Grady, actor 
  • Alex Henteloff, actor
  • Celia Kaye, actress
  • Mira del Sol, actress, entrepreneur, civic-leader, philanthropist
  • Joseph Stern, actor
  • Irene Tsu, actor
  • David White, actor
  • Tony Young, actor
  • Elliot Lewis, actor and director

Production

  • Ray Aghayan, costume designer, Emmy ® Award recipient
  • Earl Barret, writer, producer, director 
  • Rudy Behlmer, director and author
  • True Boardman, screenwriter and actor
  • Dan Bootzin, film editor, Emmy ® Award recipient
  • Lee Broda, producer
  • Charles Burnett, director and writer
  • Charles Campbell, sound engineer, Academy Award ® recipient
  • Victor DuBois, editor, Emmy ® Award nominee
  • Robert Elswit, cinematographer, Academy Award ® recipient
  • F. Gary Gray, director and producer
  • Maggie Greenwald, director and writer
  • Nick Grippo, caterer and author
  • Ray Harryhausen, producer, director and special effects artist; special Academy Award ® recipient
  • Albert Hughes, director, producer, screenwriter
  • Bruce Kimmel, director, producer, writer, actor and composer
  • Mimi Leder, director, Emmy ® Award recipient
  • Michael Lembeck, director, Emmy ® Award recipient; actor
  • William McCloud, camera operator, Emmy ® Award recipient
  • John Milius, screenwriter, producer and director
  • Karen Moncrieff, director
  • Sharon Oreck, producer and author
  • Gene Roddenberry, producer and screenwriter
  • Tarsem Singh, director
  • Gary Stockdale, composer for television shows
  • Kevin Tent, editor, Academy Award ® nominee
  • José Quintero, director
  • Zev Buffman, Broadway producer
  • Tamra Davis, producer
  • Ron Ellis, Academy Award winning filmmaker

FINE ARTS

Art

  • Don Bachardy, artist
  • Billy Al Bengston, painter and sculptor
  • Dianne Dillon, illustrator
  • Melvin Edwards, sculptor
  • Cristian Gheorghiu, contemporary artist and painter
  • Jason Laure, photographer and author
  • John Lees, artist and painter
  • Evangeline Juliet Montgomery, print-maker, metal smith and weaver
  • Ruth Orkin, photographer and filmmaker
  • John Riddle, commercial artist, sculptor and painter
  • Hisako Terasaki, artist and etcher
  • H.C. Westermann, printmaker and sculptor
  • Robert Williams, painter and cartoonist
  • Kerry James Marshall, artist
  • Daniel Marlos, LACC Visual and Media Arts Vice Chair
  • Doyle Lane, ceramist 

Dance

  • Alvin Ailey, dancer and choreographer
  • Maria Bermudez, Flamenco dancer
  • Janet Collins, ballerina

Design

  • Frank Gehry, architect, Pritzker Architecture Prize recipient
  • Rudi Gernreich, fashion designer

Music

  • David Alpert, musician
  • Roy Ayers, jazz musician
  • Chesney Henry “Chet” Baker, Jr., trumpeter and vocalist
  • Robert Bradley, blues musician
  • Stanley K. Burell aka M.C. Hammer, R&B musician
  • Jose “Pepe” Carlos, accordionist and requinto, Grammy ® recipient
  • Eric Dolphy, jazz musician
  • Jean Fenn, opera singer
  • Bob Florence, composer, band leader and educator
  • Don Friedman, jazz pianist
  • Jerry Goldsmith, composer, Academy Award ® recipient
  • Irene “DJ Irene” Gutierrez, electronic music DJ
  • Marisol Hernandez, singer, Grammy ® recipient
  • Kim, composer
  • Leon Kirchner, composer
  • Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, songwriters and Hall of Fame producers, Grammy ® recipients
  • George London, opera singer and administrator
  • Lebo M, composer
  • Les McCann, jazz pianist and singer
  • Charles Mingus, jazz musician
  • Barbara Morrison, jazz and blues singer
  • Lennie Niehaus, composer
  • Marnie Nixon, vocalist
  • Odetta, folk singer
  • Dianne Reeves, jazz singer, Grammy ® recipient
  • Howard Rumsey, jazz musician
  • Robin Russell, drummer
  • Russ Titelman, music producer, Grammy ® recipient; songwriter
  • Jack Sheldon, jazz musician
  • Leonard Slatkin, conductor, National Medal of Arts recipient
  • John Williams, composer, Academy Award ® recipient
  • La Monte Young, composer
  • Pamela Courson, singer
  • Herb Geller, jazz musician
  • David Liebe Hart, outsider musician, street performer, artist, actor, puppeteer 
  • Florence LaRue, leader singer of “The 5th Dimension”
  • Howard Leese, rock musician and producer
  • Ed Thigpen, jazz drummer
  • Michele Zukovsky, principal and solo clarinet of the Los Angeles Philharmonic

Photography

  • Kenneth E. Washington

Writing

  • Byron Barton, author and illustrator
  • Kurt Boone, author and poet
  • Charles Bukowski, poet and author
  • Ed Bullins, playwright, Obie Award recipient
  • Carlos Casteneda, author
  • Alvaro Cardona-Hine, poet, composer and author
  • Joanne de Longchamps, poet and artist
  • Charles Eastman, playwright and screenwriter
  • Charles Gordone, playwright, Pulitzer Prize recipient; actor, Obie Award recipient; director
  • Jim Harmon, author and producer
  • Michael S. Harper, poet, former Poet Laureate of Rhode Island
  • Bryan Malessa, author
  • Diane Redfield Massie, author and illustrator
  • Terry McMillan, author
  • David Meltzer, poet, musician and educator
  • Alejandro Murguía, poet, current Poet Laureate of San Francisco
  • Pat Parker, poet and activist
  • Carolyn See, Ph.D., author and educator
  • Justin Tanner, playwright
  • Quincy Troupe, poet; former Poet Laureate of California
  • Leonard Buschel, writer and substance abuse counselor 
  • R.F. Georgy, author 

LAW

  • Lula Ballton, lawyer and professor
  • John Branca, entertainment attorney
  • Albert L. Gordon, lawyer and gay rights advocate
  • Howard Weitzman, entertainment attorney

PUBLIC SERVICE

Armed Forces

  • Lieutenant Susan Ahn Cuddy, U.S. Navy, First Asian-American Female Navy Officer, First Female gunnery officer, WWII
  • Joseph A. Czyzyk, U.S. Navy Veteran and Aviation Executive
  • Major General Eugene L. Hudson (Ret.), U. S. Air Force
  • Lieutenant General Herbert R. Temple, Jr (Ret.), Chief of the National Guard Bureau

Elected Official

  • The Honorable Jo Anne Darcy, Santa Clarita Mayor and City Council member (Ret.)
  • Hal Bernson, Los Angeles City Council member
  • Tom LaBonge, Los Angeles City Council member
  • Louis R. Nowell, Los Angeles City Council member (former)
  • Bernard C. Parks, Los Angeles City Council member and former Chief of Police
  • Arthur K. Snyder, Los Angeles City Council member, lawyer
  • The Honorable Diane E. Watson, Member of Congress
  • Howard Caldwell, City Manager of Compton, CA

Judiciary

  • The Honorable Lourdes Baird, U. S. District Court (Ret.)
  • The Honorable Leo Holt, Cook County (IL) Circuit Court (Ret.)
  • The Honorable Vaino Hassan Spencer

Nonprofit

  • Ruben Hernandez, founder, Unification of Disabled Latin Americans

RELIGION

  • Sheik Qazi Asad, LAPD chaplain
  • Robert Sirico, Roman Catholic priest, founder of the Acton Institute

SCIENCE

Aerospace

  • Dean Chapman, Ph.D., NASA, Director of Astronautics
  • Jovita Jenkins, software designer for missile, communications and space systems
  • Robert Leighton, Ph.D., Astrophysicist, Rumsford Prize and James Craig Watson Medal Recipient
  • Seymour ‘Sy’ Liebergot, former NASA Flight Controller during the Apollo program

Chemistry

  • Thomas Bruice, Ph.D., research bioorganic chemist, professor and author
  • Starling Trimble, B.S., industrial chemist and patent holder
  • Fred Wudl, Ph.D., research chemist, professor and author

Environmental

  • Eugene Coan, Ph.D., environmental scientist and author
  • Hematology and Radiobiology
  • Eugene Cronkite, M.D., research hematologist, professor and author

Horticulture

  • Barbara Joe Hoshizaki, M.S., horticulturist, educator and author

Physics

  • Lawrence Johnston, Ph.D., physicist

SPORTS

Baseball

  • Don Buford, major league baseball player
  • Larry Demery, major league baseball player
  • Dennis Gilbert, LACC Hall of Fame baseball inductee, sports agent and entrepreneur
  • Terry Humphrey, major league baseball player
  • Kevin Millar, major league baseball player, sports journalist
  • Ken Rudolph, major league baseball player
  • Emmet Ashford, umpire

Basketball

  • Larry Friend, professional basketball player
  • Rico Harris, former Harlem Globetrotter

Football

  • Don Bishop, professional football player
  • Ron Botchan, football coach
  • Milt Davis, professional football player
  • Vince Evans, professional football player
  • Reggie Haynes, professional football player
  • Woodley Lewis, professional football player
  • Raymond May, professional football player
  • Willie Williams, football player
  • Michael Douglass, professional football player
  • Rod Martin, former all-pro player for the Oakland Raiders
  • Harry Thompson, football player

Track

  • Jeff Williams, sprinter

Wrestling

  • Jose “Pepper” Gomez, professional wrestler and bodybuilder
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